WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT BULLETIN: WINTER 2018...

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Call Us First 650-321-0384 WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT BULLETIN: WINTER 2018 Serving Our Community Since 1902 westbaysanitary.org by Phil Scott District Manager West Bay Sanitary District has accomplished a lot this year. We started construction on a recycled water treatment facility in Sharon Heights and began planning for another for the Bayfront area. We replaced 3.5 miles of sewer pipe primarily in the Belle Haven area and sent over 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater to the treatment plant in Redwood City for treatment and disposal. We cleaned 190 miles of sewer line and used cameras in over 54 miles of sewer line to inspect them for cracks, breaks, or tree root intrusion. But the best thing we did all year was receive a 98% satisfaction rating from you, our customers. That’s the one statistic we’re most proud of, because if we don’t do a good job and keep our customers happy none of the rest matters. We take great pride in providing excellent customer service and continually work to improve our response time to calls—which is now 18 minutes on average to a home during the day—because we know that when you’re having sewer problems you can’t afford to wait. We’ve improved the transparency of our website so you can have the most recent information available regarding the District and also increased our community outreach by participating in events such as the Chamber of Commerce Block Party, Movie Night, and Halloween Hoopla. Our goal is to keep our customers educated on current issues such as how we are using recycled wastewater to conserve resources and how West Bay is using your feedback to better adapt to your needs. We have the best employees around and they are dedicated to helping our customers and providing them with the very best service. I also want to remind you that it is the District’s policy to clean, when requested, your private sewer line to its connection with the public sewer at no cost to you if a visible, accessible “wye” type property line clean out has been properly installed to allow us to do so. That’s why we say “Call us First!” We’re confident that we will respond quickly, day or night, analyze any sewer problems you have and determine if it is our responsibility or if you need to call a plumber. If it is our responsibility, we will take care of it promptly with no charge to you and probably save you a plumbing bill. If it is your responsibility, we’ll let you know that quickly so you don’t have to wait any longer than absolutely necessary for a plumber to arrive. We’re here to help 24/7, so call us anytime at 650-321-0384—but call us FIRST. Happy New Year to all and we hope you’re having a safe and wonderful holiday season! RECYCLED WATER PROJECT TO SAVE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF HETCH HETCHY WATER ANNUALLY DISTRICT TRANSPARENCY EARNS RECOGNITION The West Bay Sanitary District was awarded the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence in March from the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) in recognition of its outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance. “This award is a testament to West Bay Sanitary District’s commitment to open government,” said District Manager Phil Scott. “It recognizes the effort by the entire district staff to maintain a high level of transparency, which empowers the public by ensuring local citizens have the information they need to engage with the district and facilitate oversight.” To receive the award, a special district must demonstrate the completion of essential governance transparency requirements that include conducting ethics training for all board members, properly conducting open and public meetings, and filing financial transactions and compensation reports to the State Controller in a timely manner. The SDLF is an independent, non-profit organization formed to promote good governance and best practices among California’s special districts through certification, accreditation, and other recognition programs. Special districts are independent public agencies that deliver core local services to communities such as water, wastewater treatment, fire protection, parks and recreation, healthcare, sanitation, mosquito abatement, ports, libraries, public cemeteries and more. Districts are established by voters and their funding is approved by voters to meet specific needs through focused service. West Bay Sanitary District is dedicated to operating transparently and ethically as we protect public health and the environment by providing cost-effective sanitary sewer service. We utilize the highest technical, environmental, and safety standards available and are committed to providing the very best customer service, ensuring the fiscal viability of our District through sound business principles and to the optimum operation of our infrastructure and facilities for the benefit of our community. WEST BAY PARTNERS WITH SAVE THE BAY The West Bay Sanitary District has partnered with SAVE THE BAY to support the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. West Bay has opened up part of our Flow Equalization and Resource Recovery Facility (FERRF) located behind the Bedwell/Bayfront Park to allow SAVE THE BAY to create a temporary nursery facility adjacent to the tidal marsh where it will grow plants for a plant community called the transition zone. These native plants, which are in elevated beds, will then be used to restore vegetation on the former salt ponds. “West Bay’s FERRF is close to SAVE THE BAY’s Salt Pond Restoration Project, so it’s a con- venient location and we’re glad we could offer it for this valuable effort,” said Phil Scott, West Bay District Manager. “We’re proud to work with SAVE THE BAY by providing an excellent location, creating and maintaining the raised beds needed to grow plants, and keeping them irrigated. By helping to restore native plant life and improve the Salt Marsh’s ecosystem, this partnership benefits the environment and the entire Bay Area community.” GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM Roots are one of the biggest causes of sewer damage and overflows. Since we began using an innovative root control method eight years ago that uses foam to kill and break roots apart, we have been extremely successful in reducing sanitary sewer overflows. During that time we have treated—and re-treated— approximately 1 million feet of pipe and have experienced a total of only two overflows in areas that previously had up to 14 overflows each year. These pipes must be re-treated on a 3-year cycle to control root growth and continue to prevent sanitary sewer overflows. No one maintenance method is a panacea for totally eliminating overflows, so West Bay will continue to use all available means to control root growth in its collection system and ensure it operates safely and efficiently for our customers. Construction on the District’s new Sharon Heights recycled water plant is underway. West Bay Sanitary District is excited to announce that it is has broken ground on a satellite recycled water treatment facility that will bring recycled water for irrigation and industrial purposes to the Sharon Heights area of Menlo Park. This recycled water will save approximately 50 million gallons per year of Hetch Hetchy water in Phase I of the project and possibly another 27 million gallons per year of Hetch Hetchy water when Phase II of the project is implemented. The first phase of the $22.6 million project will include a recycled water facility at Sharon Heights Golf Club that will supply irrigation water and replace drinkable water used locally in industrial applications. In addition to replacing thousands of gallons of potable water from Hetch Hetchy that is now used for irrigation, Phase II will potentially deliver up to a half-million gallons per day of recycled water to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center for irrigation and industrial uses such as cooling towers. West Bay is receiving grants and a 1% interest loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance the project. “This is a public-private partnership that uses recycled water in Menlo BELLE HAVEN III SEWER PROJECT UNDERWAY TO REPLACE AND REHABILITATE MAINS REPAIR PLANS AVAILABLE FOR WEST BAY CUSTOMERS Our customers have often asked for a way to assist in reducing the significant costs that occur when a sewer lateral pipe, which connects our system to your home, needs to be repaired or replaced. As a homeowner, you may be unaware that it is your responsibility to repair this line, which typically runs from the center of the street to your home and can crack from wear and tear over the years. Repairs can be expensive and are usually not covered by basic homeowners insurance. That’s why we’ve partnered with Home Emergency Insurance Solutions to offer our customers an optional protection plan for exterior sewer lines. Home Emergency Insurance Solutions currently provides up to $6,000 per year for repairs on sewer laterals between the home and sewer main at a cost of $18.99 per month. This is an optional service that we make available to our customers through a third party and the District does not receive compensation from it. Your choice of whether to participate in this plan will not affect the price of service provided by West Bay, its availability to you or our terms of service. Home Emergency Insurance Solutions uses local technicians and all repairs include a one-year guarantee on covered repairs. For more information, visit www.WestBaySewerPlan.com or call Home Emergency Insurance Solutions at 1-855-807-6628. Colleen Haley of the California Special Districts Association presents District board members with the Certificate of Excellence. Sewer line repairs can be expensive and not covered by homeowners insurance. The District will use a standard open trench method in most areas where the pipeline needs replacement and a trenchless method called pipe-bursting where open trenching is not practical. Another trenchless method called CIPP can also be used in areas where pipe rehabilitation, which involves relining the existing pipes instead of replacing them, is feasible. The project was awarded to Precision Engineering with a bid of $4.8M. For more information and a larger version of the map, please visit westbaysanitary.org/services/projects The Belle Haven III Sewer Project is the third of a three-phase project to replace and rehabilitate over two miles of 6- to 24-inch diameter sanitary sewer mains. These sewer mains were identified as needing upgrades as part of the updated Capital Improvement Master Plan. The Belle Haven area is one of the four sites encompassing the project. The second area is located between Willow Road, Hamilton Avenue, and the Bayshore Freeway within the City of Menlo Park. The third is on Oak Avenue, Vine Street, Campo Bello Lane and Alameda De Las Pulgas in unincorporated San Mateo County and the City of Menlo Park. The fourth area is on Maple Avenue and El Camino Real in the Town of Atherton and on Cascade Drive and Gabarda Way in the City of Menlo Park and the Town of Portola Valley respectively. Park for the first time and conserves resources,” said West Bay Sanitary District Manager Phil Scott. “It benefits the entire community and is cost-neutral to district ratepayers.” Funding for the $22.6M project has been provided in full or in part through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board. California’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund is capitalized through a variety of funding sources, including grants from the United States EPA and state bond proceeds. Constructon is expected to be complete in late 2019. West Bay Sanitary District operates a wastewater collection system serving Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and several small portions of unincorporated areas of San Mateo County through a network of over 200 miles of mainline pipe and 13 pumping stations serving approximately 54,000 citizens. For a sewer emergency or sewer-related problems, please call us first! You can reach us day or night at (650) 321-0384. If the main public sewer line is blocked, only West Bay has the authority to clear the system. If the public sewer main line is clear, we may advise you to contact a plumbing contractor to resolve the issue on your property. Raised beds at FERFF are being used to grow plants that will be used in the largest wetlands restoration project on the West Coast. Foam kills and breaks roots, reducing overflows.

Transcript of WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT BULLETIN: WINTER 2018...

Page 1: WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT BULLETIN: WINTER 2018 ...westbaysanitary.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/WBSD...Roots are one of the biggest causes of sewer damage and overflows. Since we

Call Us First650-321-0384

WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT BULLETIN: WINTER 2018 Serving Our Community Since 1902 westbaysanitary.org

by Phil Scott District Manager

West Bay Sanitary District has accomplished a lot this year. We started construction on a recycled water treatment facility in Sharon Heights and began planning for another for the Bayfront area. We replaced 3.5 miles of sewer pipe primarily in the Belle Haven area and sent over 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater to the treatment plant in Redwood City for treatment and disposal. We cleaned 190 miles of sewer line and used cameras in over 54 miles of sewer line to inspect them for cracks, breaks, or tree root intrusion.But the best thing we did all year was receive a 98% satisfaction rating from you, our customers. That’s

the one statistic we’re most proud of, because if we don’t do a good job and keep our customers happy none of the rest matters. We take great pride in providing excellent customer service and continually work to improve our response time to calls—which is now 18 minutes on average to a home during the day—because we know that when you’re having sewer problems you can’t afford to wait.We’ve improved the transparency of our website so you can have the most recent information available regarding the District and also

increased our community outreach by participating in events such as the Chamber of Commerce Block Party, Movie Night, and Halloween Hoopla. Our goal is to keep our customers educated on current issues such as how we are using recycled wastewater to conserve resources and how West Bay is using your feedback to better adapt to your needs. We have the best employees around and they are dedicated to helping our customers and providing them with the very best service.I also want to remind you that it is the District’s policy to clean, when requested, your private sewer line to its connection with the public sewer at no cost to you if a visible, accessible “wye” type property line clean out has been properly installed to allow us to do so. That’s why we say “Call us First!” We’re confident that we will respond quickly, day or night, analyze any sewer problems you have and determine if it is our responsibility or if you need to call a plumber. If it is our responsibility, we will take care of it promptly with no charge to you and probably save you a plumbing bill. If it is your responsibility, we’ll let you know that quickly so you don’t have to wait any longer than absolutely necessary for a plumber to arrive. We’re here to help 24/7, so call us anytime at 650-321-0384—but call us FIRST.Happy New Year to all and we hope you’re having a safe and wonderful holiday season!

RECYCLED WATER PROJECT TO SAVE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF HETCH HETCHY WATER ANNUALLY

DISTRICT TRANSPARENCY EARNS RECOGNITIONThe West Bay Sanitary District was awarded the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence in March from the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) in recognition of its outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance.“This award is a testament to West Bay Sanitary District’s commitment to open government,” said District Manager Phil Scott. “It recognizes the effort by the entire district staff to maintain a high level of transparency,

which empowers the public by ensuring local citizens have the information they need to engage with the district and facilitate oversight.” To receive the award, a special district must demonstrate the completion of essential governance transparency requirements that include conducting ethics training for all board members, properly

conducting open and public meetings, and filing financial transactions and compensation reports to the State Controller in a timely manner. The SDLF is an independent, non-profit organization formed to promote good governance and best practices among California’s special districts through certification, accreditation, and other recognition programs. Special districts are independent public agencies that deliver core local services to communities such as water, wastewater treatment, fire protection, parks and recreation, healthcare, sanitation, mosquito abatement, ports, libraries, public cemeteries and more. Districts are established by voters and their funding is approved by voters to meet specific needs through focused service. West Bay Sanitary District is dedicated to operating transparently and ethically as we protect public health and the environment by providing cost-effective sanitary sewer service. We utilize the highest technical, environmental, and safety standards available and are committed to providing the very best customer service, ensuring the fiscal viability of our District through sound business principles and to the optimum operation of our infrastructure and facilities for the benefit of our community.

WEST BAY PARTNERS WITH SAVE THE BAY

The West Bay Sanitary District has partnered with SAVE THE BAY to support the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project.West Bay has opened up part of our Flow Equalization and Resource Recovery Facility (FERRF) located behind the Bedwell/Bayfront Park to allow SAVE THE BAY to create a temporary nursery facility adjacent to the tidal marsh where it will grow plants for a plant community called the transition zone. These native plants, which are in elevated beds, will then be used to restore vegetation on the former salt ponds.“West Bay’s FERRF is close to SAVE THE BAY’s Salt Pond Restoration Project, so it’s a con-venient location and we’re glad we could offer it for this valuable effort,” said Phil Scott, West Bay District Manager. “We’re proud to work with SAVE THE BAY by providing an excellent location, creating and maintaining the raised beds needed to grow plants, and keeping them irrigated. By helping to restore native plant life and improve the Salt Marsh’s ecosystem, this partnership benefits the environment and the entire Bay Area community.”

GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEMRoots are one of the biggest causes of sewer damage and overflows. Since we began using an innovative root control method eight years ago that uses foam to kill and break roots apart, we have been extremely

successful in reducing sanitary sewer overflows. During that time we have treated—and re-treated— approximately 1 million feet of pipe and have experienced a total of only two overflows in areas that previously had up to 14 overflows each year. These pipes must be re-treated on a 3-year cycle to control root growth

and continue to prevent sanitary sewer overflows. No one maintenance method is a panacea for totally eliminating overflows, so West Bay will continue to use all available means to control root growth in its collection system and ensure it operates safely and efficiently for our customers.

Construction on the District’s new Sharon Heights recycled water plant is underway.

West Bay Sanitary District is excited to announce that it is has broken ground on a satellite recycled water treatment facility that will bring recycled water for irrigation and industrial purposes to the Sharon Heights area of Menlo Park. This recycled water will save approximately 50 million gallons per year of Hetch Hetchy water in Phase I of the project and possibly another 27 million gallons per year of Hetch Hetchy water when Phase II of the project is implemented.The first phase of the $22.6 million project will include a recycled water facility at Sharon Heights Golf Club that will supply irrigation water and replace drinkable water used locally in industrial applications. In addition to replacing thousands of gallons of potable water from Hetch Hetchy that is now used for irrigation, Phase II will potentially deliver up to a half-million gallons per day of recycled water to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center for irrigation and industrial uses such as cooling towers. West Bay is receiving grants and a 1% interest loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance the project.“This is a public-private partner ship that uses recycled water in Menlo

BELLE HAVEN III SEWER PROJECT UNDERWAY TO REPLACE AND REHABILITATE MAINS

REPAIR PLANS AVAILABLE FOR WEST BAY CUSTOMERS

Our customers have often asked for a way to assist in reducing the significant costs that occur when a sewer lateral pipe, which connects our system to your home, needs to be repaired or replaced. As a homeowner, you may be unaware that it is your responsibility to repair this line, which typically runs from the center of the street to your home and can crack from wear and tear over the years. Repairs can be expensive and are usually not covered by basic homeowners insurance. That’s why we’ve partnered with Home Emergency Insurance Solutions to offer our customers an optional protection plan for exterior sewer lines. Home Emergency Insurance Solutions currently provides up to $6,000 per year for repairs on sewer laterals between the home and sewer main at a cost of $18.99 per month. This is an optional service that we make available to our customers through a third party and the District does not receive compensation from it. Your choice of whether to participate in this plan will not affect the price of service provided by West Bay, its availability to you or our terms of service.Home Emergency Insurance Solutions uses local technicians and all repairs include a one-year guarantee on covered repairs. For more information, visit www.WestBaySewerPlan.com or call Home Emergency Insurance Solutions at 1-855-807-6628.

Colleen Haley of the California Special Districts Association presents District board members with the Certificate of Excellence.

Sewer line repairs can be expensive and not covered by homeowners insurance.

The District will use a standard open trench method in most areas where the pipeline needs replacement and a trenchless method called pipe-bursting where open trenching is not practical. Another trenchless method called CIPP can also be used in areas where pipe rehabilitation, which involves relining the existing pipes instead of replacing them, is feasible. The project was awarded to Precision Engineering with a bid of $4.8M.For more information and a larger version of the map, please visit westbaysanitary.org/services/projects

The Belle Haven III Sewer Project is the third of a three-phase project to replace and rehabilitate over two miles of 6- to 24-inch diameter sanitary sewer mains. These sewer mains were identified as needing upgrades as part of the updated Capital Improvement Master Plan.The Belle Haven area is one of the four sites encompassing the project. The second area is located between Willow Road, Hamilton Avenue, and the Bay shore Freeway within the City of Menlo Park. The third is on Oak Avenue, Vine Street, Campo Bello Lane and Alameda De Las Pulgas in unincorporated San Mateo County and the City of Menlo Park. The fourth area is on Maple Avenue and El Camino Real in the Town of Atherton and on Cascade Drive and Gabarda Way in the City of Menlo Park and the Town of Portola Valley respectively.

Park for the first time and conserves resources,” said West Bay Sanitary District Manager Phil Scott. “It benefits the entire community and is cost-neutral to district ratepayers.”Funding for the $22.6M project has been provided in full or in part through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board. California’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund is capitalized through a variety of funding sources, including grants from the United States EPA and state bond proceeds. Constructon is expected to be complete in late 2019.

West Bay Sanitary District operates a wastewater collection system serving Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and several small portions of unincorporatedareas of San Mateo County through a network of over 200 miles of mainline pipe and 13 pumping stations serving approximately 54,000 citizens.

For a sewer emergency or sewer-related problems, please call us first! You can reach us day or night at (650) 321-0384. If the main public sewer line is blocked, only West Bayhas the authority to clear the system. If the public sewer main line is clear, we may advise you to contact a plumbing contractor to resolve the issue on your property.

Raised beds at FERFF are being used to grow plants that will be used in the largest wetlands restoration project on the West Coast.

Foam kills and breaks roots, reducing overflows.